The Jerusalem Sinner Saved; or Good News for the Vilest of Men by John Bunyan 1689

more deplorable, (for that) they were most forlorn, and farthest from
help; Luke iv. 25, 27.
But I say, why all these, thus named? why have we not a catalogue of
some holy men that were so in their own eyes, and in the judgment of
the world? Alas if at any time any of them are mentioned, how
seemingly coldly doth the record of scripture present them to us?
Nicodemus, a night professor, and Simon the pharisee, with his fifty
pence; and their great ignorance of the methods of grace, we have now
and then touched upon.
Mercy seems to be out of his proper channel, when it deals with selfrighteous
men; but then it runs with a full stream when it extends itself
to the biggest sinners. As God’s mercy is not regulated by man’s
goodness, nor obtained by man’s worthiness; so not much set out by
saving of any such. But more of this anon.
And here let me ask my reader a question: suppose that as thou art
walking by some pond side, thou shouldst espy in it four or five
children all in danger of drowning, and one in more danger than all the
rest, judge which has most need to be helped out first? I know thou wilt
say, he that is nearest drowning. Why, this is the case; the bigger sinner,
the nearer drowning; therefore the bigger sinner the more need of
mercy; yea, of help by mercy in the first place. And to this our text
agrees, when it saith, “Beginning at Jerusalem.” Let the Jerusalem
sinner, says Christ, have the first offer, the first invitation, the first
tender of my grace and mercy, for he is the biggest sinner, and so has
most need thereof.
Secondly, Christ Jesus would have mercy offered in the first place to the
biggest sinners, because when they, any of them, receive it, it redounds
most to the fame of his name.
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